Unheard
by Pinbreaker
Summary: A Short Story Told in Three Parts: Takuma Ichijou volunteers at a psychiatric hospital. While volunteering, he attempts to draw a traumatized child out of her shell, and threatens to reveal a secret she is desperate to keep hidden.


_Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight; I own only my characters and ideas. _

Unheard  
>A Vampire Knight Short Story<p>

Part I: Secrets Keep Us Safe

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><p><em>After breakfast, I immediately take my usual perch on the window-seat overlooking the hospital's garden. It's dead right now; all the leaves have fallen off the trees, and the flowers have long since withered away. During the spring, summer, and even the fall it is quite beautiful; although, I have never actually seen it up close. It isn't as if I am not permitted to visit it, it's simply that I prefer to study it through the window; it hurts less when it's gone that way. <em>

_Beyond the hospital's garden is, ironically enough, a cemetery. I think my mother's buried there, because my aunt always visits this cemetery before coming to the hospital to visit me. Some days, she even goes twice. _

_Her visits torment me. _

_Every Saturday, without fail, she arrives at the hospital precisely at eight in the morning – when visiting hours commence. Despite the fact that I have never even looked at her, I can tell that she refuses to leave until visiting hours end at noon. Some days, she approaches me, and I know that she whispers to me gently, in the hope that by some miracle I'll turn to face her. _

_I never do. It hurts too much to look at her. Even when I see her from a distance, I feel immense emotion rising inside me. She would never know, but some days when she visits, I am sobbing uncontrollably. _

_Luckily, her visits are short, and they only occur once every week, and she's so patient and cautious about my feelings that she never does more than tap me on the shoulder to gain my attention. In fact, sometimes I wonder if she only taps me on the shoulder to tell me when she's coming and going. _

_In any case, the visits from another person are much more difficult to tolerate. _

Just as this thought strikes her, a soft tap alerts Kasumi to the presence of the very person she dreads seeing.

She is so accustomed to the various taps she receives that Kasumi no longer need look at the person in order to identify them. Her psychiatrist's tap is similar to his attitude during their therapy sessions – gentle, but deliberate, and persistent until she gives him her attention; the nurses' taps each performed according to their manuals – two-fingers, light pressure, short duration; Aidou Hanabusa's… She doesn't need a tap to know when he is present…

Out of all the taps Kasumi encounters, there is only one she dreads more than her aunt's: _His_ – the softest tap of them all, as if he fears her falling apart, and doesn't realize that she already has.

For a few seconds, she attempts to ignore the boy standing next to her by continuing to gaze unemotionally at the cemetery her aunt always visits. Their meetings always begin in this fashion; even if Kasumi did look up immediately, the boy would only be frightened by her hasty reaction.

_For nearly a year, I have given this boy the same reaction each time he arrives, yet he always persists… He's just like my aunt, but worse… He doesn't like taking 'no' for an answer… Even on days when we aren't going into town, he's constantly pestering me to play games with the other girls and him. Of course, then I go make it worse by giving in to his demands… which always leads him to believe I want to participate in the first place…_

_I hate that look of triumph he has each time he says good-bye to me. And his smile… I hate – no, I loathe that entire expression he reserves for me alone… That expression that he uses every time he looks in my direction, as if he understands all the emotion and frustration I feel. _

_But what I hate most of all is the feeling of fear that travels up and down my spine each time I realize that he hasn't given up on me. Because until he gives up on me, I can never lower my guard. _

The boy taps a second time, and Kasumi turns her head in his direction. His green eyes glisten excitedly, as he smiles and says, "How are you?"

The fact that he says anything is irrelevant, and he knows it. All Kasumi really needs is to watch the gesticulation of his hands.

Like every other day he visits, Ichijou Takuma hopes to draw Kasumi out of her stupor. If she ever would respond in more than a single word or phrase, Takuma is certain he would be so elated that he'd float away. Eagerly, he anticipates her response.

"_Fine," _Kasumi signs back to him.

Takuma attempts to hide the disappointment in his eyes, as he speaks and signs back, "Good; we're going into town today. Would you like to come?"

He doesn't expect Kasumi to understand much more than the words "town" and "come," but he wants her to see them used in context, in case she begins showing interest in communicating with the people around her. Although he forces her to attend the local deaf community meetings at least once each week, Kasumi is too stubborn to permit herself to learn the language. Takuma understands why she would be hesitant; he would be too, if he had been reduced to such a silent state so unexpectedly.

Patiently, Takuma waits while Kasumi decides whether to come into town. Despite the fact that he will persist until she ultimately agrees, he dislikes pressuring her, and wants her to arrive at the correct response on her own.

It isn't that Takuma wants to force her to do anything; he just knows that deep down, Kasumi desires returning to society. No matter how stoic her expression, or how stubbornly she attempts to lock herself up inside her own thoughts, Takuma is absolutely convinced that Kasumi would enjoy nothing more than leaving this hospital behind.

"_Yes," _Kasumi signs back after a moment of deliberation.

Smiling in what he thinks is an empathetic manner, Takuma replies, enthusiastically, "Great! We're gathering over there." He points toward a small group of girls, many of whom wave excitedly the moment Takuma glances in their direction. Even the other chaperone – a girl around the age of eighteen – has to restrain herself from worshipping the ground Takuma walks on.

After Takuma walks across the room to rejoin the group, Kasumi begins unfolding herself from the window seat. Her muscles are stiff and sore from remaining in one position too long, but Kasumi hardly notices.

_It's the same every time he comes… The same question, and the same hopeful expression, and the same insistence to participate with the others. I'm only making it worse by permitting myself to give in, even if it is only to avoid a headache. _

_Although… even if he would accept a refusal, I wouldn't give up going into town. When I became tired of dealing with this boy's constant vigilance, I briefly considered refusing to accompany him into town. There are excuses that even he would be forced to recognize as valid. Ultimately, I was the one who determined going to town is best. _

_Anything to get away from this hospital for a while… _

_Not that it's a bad place. The nurses are friendly and effervescent, and the psychiatrists hired by this hospital are some of the best in the country. Attending therapy is difficult for me, and nobody expects me to recover more than I already have, but I wouldn't go so far as to claim that they are uncaring toward me. _

_The truth is that they've done everything they could; I'm the one who's refusing to recover. _

A soft tap draws Kasumi back to reality. She hasn't been paying attention to her surroundings again, and has begun to stare off into space aimlessly. It is this stare that terrifies Takuma the most, and he quickly asks, "Kasumi-chan, are you feeling all right?"

Nodding, Kasumi answers hastily, _"Yes; I'm fine."_

To ensure that Kasumi is not left behind unintentionally, Takuma gently folds her hand into his, then leads the group down the hallway to the area they keep their coats in.

Kasumi knows where her hook is located, and quickly leaves Takuma's side in order to acquire her sweatshirt and messenger bag. Many of the other girls are bundling into knee-length coats, scarves, hats, and gloves, but Kasumi doesn't seem to care about keeping warm. She chooses to ignore the winter gear placed on her hook, and simply begins watching the other girls, as they tease each other for bundling into so many layers just to prevent themselves from feeling the winter's chill.

Takuma watches Kasumi carefully. If the past few months of volunteering at Meadowlark Rehabilitation Center have taught him anything, it is that there is a very fine line between Kasumi observing a situation and becoming lost in her own thoughts. Although the doctors and nurses perceive the unemotional stare to be the indication that Kasumi is slipping into a catatonic state, Takuma had realized several months ago that often Kasumi's expression was sorrowful when she became oblivious to her surroundings.

He can only imagine what Kasumi is thinking at the moment. From her unemotional stare, Takuma is completely aware that she is not merely looking on as the girls engage in excited banter. Inside Kasumi's mind, she analyzes and reflects on their actions; she hides behind an unemotional façade in an attempt to escape notice. Each time he notices that stare, Takuma waits a few minutes before drawing her attention away. He still lives in the hope that it is merely a matter of time before she decides she is finished isolating herself.

In the next moment the spell is broken; not because Kasumi slips into the more sorrowful expression that signals a catatonic state, but because one of the girls has noticed that Kasumi hasn't even thought to place a scarf around her neck.

"It's cold!" Midori informs Kasumi with widened eyes. Hastily, she grabs the neglected scarf off its hook, then wraps it around Kasumi. "Nanami and I went outside earlier this morning. It's really gusty, and it looks as if it will snow later…"

Midori continues speaking, but Takuma knows that even if Kasumi could read her lips, Midori is speaking much too hurriedly to permit Kasumi time to decipher what she is being told. He knows that Midori means well, but the look of terror and frustration on Kasumi's face is almost unbearable, so Takuma calmly separates Midori from Kasumi, then addresses Midori almost secretively, as if Kasumi will suddenly regain her hearing, "Midori-chan, remember what the nurses always say. Kasumi gets frustrated when she doesn't understand what people are saying to her…"

_Go on! Say it! I know you think it! Everybody does! It sounds so simple doesn't it? "Kasumi can't possibly function on her own because she's deaf! She can't possibly understand what's happening around her because she's deaf!"_

_I know I did this to myself… If I had only told the truth, but then they would…_

The anger is so brief that not even Takuma notices it. He notices only that she's gone into that sorrowful state once more, so he taps her softly to regain her attention. "Are you okay?" he asks once Kasumi focuses on him.

She nods, but quickly runs a hand over her eyes, as if to prevent herself from crying. He smiles at her gently before announcing that he needs to call roll.

Each time Takuma calls out a name, he locates the person to confirm that some other girl hasn't attempted to impersonate her. Much to his own amusement, Saki and Nanami attempt to fool him by answering to each others' names. Kasumi watches idly as he teases them for their trickery, and for a moment, she feels herself grinning.

Luckily she returns her expression to an unemotional stare in time. Her name is last on the list; she knows because Takuma doesn't call it aloud. Instead, he glances up at her, and gives her one of the smiles that Takuma thinks she appreciates so much.

…

_It is cold outside… If I weren't so proud, I would cover my face with this scarf – like everyone else is doing. Midori startled me when she rushed to wrap it around my neck, but now I'm thankful that she was willing to resort to drastic measures to ensure that I don't freeze. _

_I should take care of myself more. I should love myself much more than I do. A long time ago I came to the realization that what had occurred was an accident. I hadn't intended to distract her... I was only four years old, and I hadn't understood how dangerous it was for me to take her gaze off the road for even a moment. _

_But I still don't know if I'm ready to speak about it; I'm not even certain whether they'll ask me. They're so pleased that I'm making attempts to venture back into society and participate in activities that they've forgotten why I came to them in the first place._

_I can't help it. Every time we walk into town, I have to pause for a moment. I need to look in at all those graves. _

_One of them is my mother's._

_My aunt is still upset over what happened... If nobody else asks, she will. _

A soft tap alerts Kasumi to Takuma's presence. Without looking up at him, she moves away from the cemetery gate. She is careful about not giving him even a side-long glance. Because she knows that if she looks at him, she'll have to see his hands asking her, "Do you want to visit your mother's grave?"

Maybe he asks this question because he knows there will be no simple answer for Kasumi to give. Or maybe it's because he thinks she expects him to ask this question. Afterall, Takuma is inexperienced in matters such as these, as it is not the custom of his people to bury or leave markings for their dead.

Regardless of reason, Takuma asks this question each time Kasumi pauses at the gate into the cemetery, and each time she ignores the question, he hesitates momentarily before continuing after her and the group.

He understands that it must be difficult to want to continue living when loved ones have perished, but he could not possibly have understood like Kasumi. She was young, even for a human child, and the loss of the only one who had truly understood her had rendered her rudderless.

Catching up with the group, Takuma excitedly announces that they would be visiting the bookstore because it was too cold outside to wander through the park, or play miniature golf - the only two activities the small town has to offer. Although he had an enthusiastic expression still, Takuma could not help feeling as if he were leaving Kasumi out, and he cast a worried look in her direction.

She wouldn't meet his eyes.

_You don't know me. Don't look at me as if you understand anything about me. Anything that you've been told about me is false. And besides that I know much more about you than you'd care for me to know. _

_You didn't know how to sign back then, so you can't possibly think that I understood, but I've been deaf for longer than you think, and I've taught myself how to adapt._

_I noticed them right away. Your fangs. As soon as you parted your lips in order to tell us about yourself, I realized an important fact that you would leave out. _

_I'm not afraid of you because you're a vampire. I am afraid of__ you because you decided to make me your special side-project. You wouldn't accept my refusals – for once, I'd encountered someone who was more relentless than myself. I know that if I don't find a way to discourage you from returning to Meadowlark Rehabilitation Center, you will ultimately discover the secret I've kept hidden for so long._

_The reason why I dread my aunt's visits. _

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><p>Please, review to let me know what you think. This idea hit me spur of the moment, but I don't know why I didn't think of something like this sooner. I don't want to ruin this story by giving away the conflict, so I won't even begin to explain Kasumi...<p>

(I'm really hesitant to ask: Did anyone notice the lack of tone indicators, or background noise? I do these things intentionally, but I can never tell if they're noticeable...)

Just for reference: This story is three chapters long; I plan to post the final two chapters separately in order to change point-of-view and style clearly. They won't be uploaded immediately (because I still need to write them).

Thanks,  
>Mango<p> 


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